An Unexpected Familiar
by Lily MJ Fae
Summary: Thestrals are often misunderstood and seen as dark omens. Luna never saw them that way. And throughout her visits, a social bond is built. One that leads to a special, unexpected connection


_**A/N:**_ _Hello lovely readers. Today is a change. First story in first person for a while. Also I'm not writing from a human's perspective. This is my_ _ **Round 4**_ _submission for_ _ **The Quidditch League Fanfiction Competetion**_ _. Also, the definition included is one I made. I did not look it up. It is simply for the purposes of this story. Also, all human speak is put in italics. If it is not in italics, the humans cannot understand it._

 _Also, I took a more from fictional book in a fiction book. You may understand this reference at the end of the story._

 _Prompts:_

 _ **QLFC and Drabble Club:**_ _Thestral_

 _ **Quidditch Pitch:**_ _Thunderstorm_

 _ **Eurovision Song Competetion:**_ _Spain: Battle_

 _ **History of Magic Assignment 11:**_ _Time Period Task_ _: Write a story that occurs during the Battle of Hogwarts._ _Thematic task_ _: Write about someone making a selfless sacrifice._

 ** _Final Word_** _ **Count:** 2,222_

* * *

 _Familiar: An animal that has a uniquely strong bond with a human, most often a witch or wizard. Their bond is so strong that even when greatly separated, a familiar can sense the needs of its human. Many familiars are often called by date in what is the last moments of their human's life. When a familiar dies, its memories can be shared with its human._

* * *

I was still very young when I was granted the privilege of being able to pull the carriages that took students to Hogwarts. My family had always talked about the honor of pulling the carriages. The day that Albus approached me and hand-picked me to join the team of those that carried the carriages, I was filled with such joy that I flew for hours without getting exhausted. Mother and Father almost had to knock me out of the sky.

I stood tall and proud as they fit the harness to me, and I followed my herdmates. The weight of the carriages felt odd, but it couldn't get me down. We stood by a platform, waiting. I wasn't sure what for, I had never been this far out of the forest. I could hear whatever we were waiting for, but no one in my herd knew its name, or they simply didn't want to tell me.

I found out soon enough as the steam monster rolled towards us, the loud sound it made even louder now that it was so near. It sounded so similar to a thunderstorm and yet so completely different. And then human children of all sizes spilled out of it, chattering about indiscernible things. The giant, Hagrid, starting yelling, though I couldn't make out the words, and the smallest of the herd of children followed him. The rest made their way towards my herdmates and I. No one had prepared me for what happened next.

I stretched my neck, waiting for someone to comment or speak to us, but none did. They climbed into the carriages one right after the other. Several of the smaller children asked what was pulling the carriages and my heart dropped. Did they not see me? Didn't they see us at all? We were right there, for all to see. But the older children said it was simply enchantments. I had never felt more insulted, and throughout the entire walk to the castle I slumped.

When we were finally free of the reins and harnesses, I found my mother and father.

"Why didn't you warn me?" I asked them. "Why did the children not know we were there?"

My mother nuzzled me and wrapped a wing over me. "Dear, the humans can't see us. It is a part of how our own magic works to protect us. The only ones who can see us are those who have seen death before their very eyes."

"Why?"

"You've seen the way horses look compared to us. To humans we are frightening. They do not understand us until they understand death."

I only nodded before pulling away from my mother and taking flight. It was all I had, flying. An escape from everything around me, I flew so I could feel free.

* * *

I had finally grown accustomed to the children who remained ignorant of our existence over the years. I did my job, though not as proudly. I watched the various children climb into the carriages before waiting for them to climb into my own. Every year was the same.

But then, one girl caught my eye. Her hair was long and so pale a blonde it was like the color of corn silk. Her eyes were wide and silvery like the moon. It took me a moment before I realized that she was, in fact staring _at_ me, not _through_ me. My heart quickened as I blinked to see if she was real. She was in fact, refusing the other girls she was with, saying she'd catch the next carriage. _My_ carriage.

As we approached her, she stepped closer. The entire time, our eyes remained locked on each other. Though my partner and I had stopped moving, ready to accept our passengers, she made no move to climb in. Until a girl with flaming hair tugged her arm.

 _"Come on, Luna!"_

The girl with the moon in her eyes looked at her friend before glancing back to me. Then she climbed in.

 _"What are those pulling the carriages?"_

 _"What are you taking about, Luna? Nothing is pulling them. It's just magic."_

I turned my head to see behind me, and the girl smiled. The way the redhead addressed her, she was called Luna. A lovely name that fit her perfectly.

* * *

Not a week had passed before the young girl had found her way to our home in the forest. I knew the children weren't allowed here, but I could not find it in me to send her away.

 _"Hello,"_ she greeted so softly, I could sparsely hear her as she stood at the very edge of the clearing.

My herdmates all backed away, retreating into the forest for protection, but I couldn't. I wouldn't leave her. Instead, I took a step towards her, meeting her eyes once more. She smiled at me, her moon eyes brightening.

 _"My name is Luna."_

I was right! I took a few steps closer, sniffing the air. I could smell a treat nearby.

As if she knew what I was thinking about, she reached into the bag and pulled something out. It was red and round, and she rolled it gently over to me. The thing stopped right at my feet, and I lowered my head, sniffing it. The smell was an offense to my nose, sickly sweet, and I nudged it away.

As if she expected that reaction, she reached into her bag and pulled out a huge chunk of raw meat. That was what I had smelled. With a gentle toss, it landed about halfway between herself and me, so I closed the distance further, feeling the eyes of my herd on me. Hagrid cared for us, Albus chose us and no other humans interfered. Yet she was. I sniffed the meat, savoring its smell before snatching it up and almost swallowing it whole.

She finally took a few tentative steps toward me, holding her hand out, palm up. I let her approach and sniffed her hand once she was closer. She moved to rub her hand against my skin. Her hand was soft and she was gentle.

My herdmates slowly walked back into the clearing nearing her. Suddenly, a protective instinct clutched my heart as they surrounded us.

"You shouldn't let the human touch you!" my mother hissed at me.

"She means no harm!" I snapped back after turning to face her.

I spread my wings and used one to pull Luna to my side.

"She'll be your responsibility if you let her stay."

I could sense her fear, though I wasn't sure if she feared me, or us. "Gladly."

The girl worked her way out of my protective hold and reached into her bag, pulling out more raw meat. She had enough for everyone, and soon, they were welcoming her with wings spread wide.

By the end of the year, she was a welcome site. She told us how she offered to feed us on the weekends, begged to, and Hagrid had let her. She was special. And she was welcome. As the school year drew nearer to the end though, we both felt the pain of the impending separation.

She, however, did not know of all the magic I possessed. So while the ride to the train—that's what she had called it—had remained somber, I kept calm, waiting to be loosed from the carriage.

Finding her was easy, my sense of direction being impeccable. And so we spent the years. Over breaks, I would visit her at least once, usually more, and she spent the weekends with us.

* * *

Two years after, another student saw me. His hair was black and messy and his eyes a brilliant green. A conversation, similar to Luna's, broke out, but Luna was there. I knew that would explain to him eventually as she and I shared a knowing glance.

It wasn't long before he came to visit with her. I could sense a special bond between them, one that would not show itself until later.

He was kind to her in a way I knew no other student was. The way they walked together and the way bh listened without calling her names, I knew I could trust him. I left them walk in peace, simply watching her from afar.

Later in the year they were followed by a group of students, though they were unable to see me or my herd.

 _"How are we supposed to get to the ministry?"_

 _"We fly of course,"_ Luna mentioned, giving a pleading look. I need without asking my herd, I knew I would help them.

The children trusted their friends, and I felt proud of Luna as she helped them onto our backs.

After that visit, the children could see us. I saw the pain in their eyes and I knew that the sight of us was a vicious reminder of the painful things that had happened.

* * *

Luna however, always visited. She always came back. I still saw her every weekend. And I still saw her every break at her home. Until the day she didn't return to Hogwarts. But even I couldn't find her, no matter how hard I tried. I nearly depleted my own magic trying to sense her. I nearly put my future—my family—on the line.

And then, one night, she was back. She pet me and hugged me and cried. I had never seen her cry, though I knew she had plenty of reason. She told me about the people who took her hostage and the conditions she was left in. I knew I had felt something in my bones, something that was dreadful and terrified me. Now I knew why. She sneaked back into the castle, leaving me alone and worried.

I saw her more after that, every night. She couldn't go to classes, but she hid under their noses. The followers of the people who took her ran the school, and she had to stay hidden.

* * *

My foal was born at dusk when I sensed a shift in the forest. Danger was in the wind, and I knew Luna was in trouble. But I couldn't leave. I had a family now. I had a foal I had to care for.

I waited as the night crept upon the grounds. I could see the magic shields form around the school. And I could see the hellfire of spells rain down upon them, creating a thunderous storm that caused my child to hide under my wings. My heart clenched as I waited for the inevitable destruction. Most of my herd had gone to investigate the disturbance, but I had been told to stay. I knew it was the right decision...I thought it was.

When the magic failed, I watched it disappear, like rain melting away the fuzz from dandelions. I waited, frightened for the fate of my home.

Perhaps an hour later, I felt a call, so strong it hurt. It screamed in my head and stopped my heart. Without a thought, a left my foal with my remaining herdmates and took to the sky, barely able to fly.

I understood as the sight of witches and wizards fighting came into sight. Though most of them battled while cloaked in black and the dark, but Luna stood out. She always would for me.

She was surrounded, evil wizards on all sides as she backed into a wall. She was doing her best to fight them off, but they kept coming at her. I knew in that moment why I was there. It took no thought, no motivation. I knew she needed to be saved, and so I flew down, landing just in time to block the barrage of spells aimed at her. I fell, forcing myself to fall away from her, knocking the wizards to the ground, creating a fury from my herdmates who had joined the battle early. They trampled the wizards as they ran to attack others in defense of the school.

I did not know what spells I had been hit with, but I knew they would be my end.

 _"No, you shouldn't have done that,"_ Luna cried as she fell to her knees at my side.

But I did. I did need to. She was important. She was special. And she needed to change the world.

I looked in her eyes, her beautiful moon eyes, one more time, as I did, we shared a connection. My memories flashed before my eyes, but I knew it was shared. The last memory she saw was my foal, my now motherless foal.

She hugged me close, despite the carnage around us, and looked in my eyes. _"I'll take care of her. I promise. She will know you."_

I didn't need anything more, nothing more than their safety. Breathing was difficult, and my vision was blurring.

Though I knew she would never understand me, I had to tell her, "I love—"


End file.
